Eternal Faith
by kooritenshi
Summary: Two new teens at Balamb--Zell's sister and ???. SquallxRinoa QuistisxSeifer, ZellxSelphie..R&R? [*chapter 4 added*]
1. Encounter

Selphie was sitting by Irvine, contemplating whether or not she should tell him what was on her mind. She wanted  
to figure out a nice way, but straightforward way to put it, one that wouldn't hurt him. After arguing with herself for a lengthy   
period of time, she finally spoke up. "Irvy?"  
"What, Sephie?"  
"You think maybe we should break up?"  
Irvine looked at her, confused. "Why?"  
"Because you don't seem that..commited...I think we'd both be happier. Especially you. You know what happens  
every time I catch you with someone else." Selphie sniffed, watching Irvine consider this possibility for a few minutes.  
"I guess...we'll still be friends, will we?"  
"Of course!" Selphie smiled.  
"Hey Selphie!" Zell called. There were few who didn't like Selphie's bubbly attitude. She had the ability of cheering  
anyone up, no matter how depressed they had been before. As long as they knew that her invariably high amount of carefree,   
happy-go-lucky attitude came along with the package, they got along with her fine. Those who didn't know her better thought   
she got high off air or some other life-sustaining substance.  
"Hi!"  
"Did I tell you my sister's coming tomorrow?"  
"Booyaka! Really?" Selphie exclaimed as they walked to their usual cafeteria table. Everyone was curious to see what  
his sister would be like. Half-sister, to be exact. The only information Zell had on her at the moment was her name and the likely  
fact that her features might resemble himself in some ways.  
"You never told us what her name was," Selphie continued.  
"Aislin." Zell replied.  
"That's a pretty name...wasn't it Celtic or Gaelic for 'dream'?" Rinoa remarked.  
"I wonder what she's gonna be like..."  
"She'll be great. You'll like her." Zell said. "Aislin's coming with Elysium, I think that's her best friend."  
"Elysium?" Quistis inquired. "That's supposed to mean 'paradise' in Latin, or Greek." She laughed self-consciously.   
"Never mind, that's off the subject."  
"She seems so mysterious. Can't wait to meet her."  
They spent the rest of their lunch talking about Aislin and Elysium.  
~Next Day~  
"And this..." Zell flashed his grandest smile, letting the silence become suspense. "Is Aislin and Elysium!" He walked off  
to the side to show his friends to present the two figures he had been sheltering.  
Aislin laughed softly. "You don't have to make me seem that important." Her brown hair was swept into a clip, one that   
resembled a claw and could, with some imagination, be rendered a dangerous medieval weapon. Her blue eyes shone as Zell  
introduced her to each of his friends. She wore a lavender cardigan over a white tank top with khakis.  
"We've all been so anxious to see you! Zell's been talking about you so much." Rinoa smiled warmly, glad that Aislin   
had such a friendly disposition.  
"Zell even put off his daily rush to devour hot dogs to introduce you!" Selphie piped up.  
Aislin beamed and gestured to the girl standing next to her. "This is Elysium."  
Everyone at the table turned to see a teen, slightly taller than Selphie's height, with dark hair inches past her shoulder.  
Her eyes were the color of violets. An icy expression appeared to have permanently rested onto her face. Blue highlights ran  
through her hair. Her black jeans and long-sleeved black shirt had sky blue flames glittering on the sleeves and  
edges, seeming to dance around, like real fire. If Aislin was like fire, warm, cheerful and inviting, Elysium was the complete  
opposite. Paradise definitely did not describe her. Like a new Squall in a female form, to replace the old one. She glared at   
Selphie, as if she had done something terrible to her in the past with such fury, they sat in a shocked silence. 


	2. Ease

Ease  
  
~*~  
  
An awkward pause followed. The group looked around uneasily for someone else, anyone else, to say something.  
They were at a loss of words. Elysium's cold stare left them in uncertainty. "Well...!" Selphie said hesitantly, coming to their rescue by breaking the   
silence. "Nice to meet you!"  
"You too." Elysium answered coldly. While Aislin's voice was sweet, melodic and always cheerful, like Selphie,  
Elysium's held no emotion. She seemed cold and distant, a true contradictory to her name. The lunchroom chatter continued.  
Selphie noticed that Elysium hardly ever spoke and often caught her lavender eyes on her, gapped between Zell and Irvine.  
It seemed to switch from herself to Zell. A glare with burning hatred reverted to a wistful, nostalgic gaze. Selphie, being Zell's  
best friend, was the only one who noticed his discomfort. "Hey Zell!! I bet I can beat you now!" She said as she stood, referring to  
the duel she had lost a few days ago.  
Zell rose abruptly, shooting Selphie a grateful grin. "Tch. I could take you down anytime!" He followed her   
out of the cafeteria door to the Training Center, not noticing Elysium's furious scowl.  
~*~  
"Aislin's cool," Selphie began, walking with Zell to a remote area in the Training Center. "But what's wrong with  
Elysium?"  
"Thanks for getting me outta there. I hate it when people stare at me." Zell agreed.  
"Anytime." smiled Selphie. "You wanna fight, really? I know I can beat you!"  
"Maybe later.." There was a slight pause. "I missed you."  
"..but why? I havn't been on some month-long, year-long journey anywhere. We always talk." Selphie mused out loud.  
Zell shook his head, "Never mind." His look suggested otherwise.  
~*~  
"This is the beach!" Rinoa announced. "Isn't it pretty?"  
Aislin surveyed the scenery around her. The sun shone onto the clear, glittering water. "Yup!" She agreed instantly.  
A nasty grin temporarily appeared onto her delicate features. "Water fight!"  
They gaped at her.  
"What?"  
"We aren't exactly dressed for a water fight." Quistis pointed out sensibly.  
"That's ok!" Selphie interrupted. "It'll be fun, won't it? Come on! None of you ever have fun!"  
"I just thought of something I have to do." Squall said suddenly, walking back towards Garden.  
"Coward..." A voice muttered after him.  
Squall glanced back at them. "How dare you speak to your Commander in such a disrespectful way!" He said with   
a fake British accent in his absolute best prissy voice.  
Selphie choked. "What did you do to him, Rinoa?!?!" She asked in horror.  
"Nothing," Rinoa smiled sweetly. "What makes you think that?"  
Quistis laughed. "You probably put him under some witchy spell. He never used to act like this before you came."  
"I see that I'm not wanted here." Rinoa sniffed indignantly, with an extremely exaggerated pout. "Let's go, Squall, and  
leave these infantile kids in their dreamland."  
"Well, really, we've showed Aislin and Elysium practically everything, why can't we just hang out at the beach? No  
more missions anyway. We saved the world...what more can they ask for?"  
"Fine..." They gave in.  
A couple of hours later, eight teens appeared at the Front Gate, soaked to the skin, lips blue, teeth chattering.  
"That is the LAST time I'm ever having a water fight with you." Rinoa rubbed her hands together, trying to keep warm.  
The teams had been Aislin and Elysium vs. Squall, Rinoa, Selphie, Irvine, Quistis and Zell.  
Aislin smiled angelically, a golden circle of light floating above her head. Even Elysium seemed to have loosened up.  
They had been shocked to see her smile, and laugh, as they had with Squall.  
*Maybe she was just scared at first..." Selphie thought. "Scared that we wouldn't like her, or accept her."  
  
~*~  
Author's Note: I'm sick right now, so that explains the shortness and everything. X_X And since this one's so short, I uploaded the   
next chapter too, even though that's short too.. 


	3. Reverie

Reverie  
  
~*~  
In the middle of a dark room sat a figure, shoulders shaking slightly, tears spilling over their cheeks. "Where's--"  
Three soft knocks interrupted the question.  
"It's me." The knocker said quietly. "Can I come in?"  
"Yeah." Came a half-hearted reply.  
The knocker walked in, closing the door behind them, took a look at the person sitting in the room, and flicked on the  
light. "You've been crying, havn't you?" They guessed. "And expecting--hoping someone else would come?"  
"Gee, how did you ever guess?"  
The knocker put a comforting arm around the distressed person's shouldes. "What's wrong?" They asked, knowing  
exactly what was tormenting the person.  
"You know exactly what's wrong." The figure turned away.  
"Just send them a dream. They'll know....they'll remember." The knocker watched silently as the tears subsided and the  
friend's eyes slowly closed, concentrating on an image. When several clear images, accompanied by carefully selected words  
were dispatched, their eyes opened, an eerie calmness enveloping the room.  
"What did you send?"  
"Rain, a stone, a feather...and my trademark..." was the answer.  
~*~  
  
Author's Note: sorry about it being so short...had to be short for a reason...can't provide that many details..not yet anyway..  
you'll find out later if you ever decide to keep reading...=Þ hope you R&R...i think it's fairly easy to guess who they are...but if  
you don't, well, there's always other chapters that could provide potential hints...the next one's longer!! i promise!! 


	4. Discovery

Discovery  
~*~  
  
  
Author's Note: =D i meant to make the last chapter confusing for no reason in particular, ^^* i am easily amused...anyway! Squall  
will be acting..*questionable* [lalala] let's just pretend that Rinoa has him under her spell or something?  
  
"So...how was your first week here at Balamb?" Zell asked conversationally asked, while shoving a record number of hot dogs  
into his mouth without choking.  
  
"Fine." The two answered cheerily in unison.  
  
"Where did Quistis, was that her name? Where did she go?" Elysium inquired, looking around.  
  
"We'll never know." Irvine replied mysteriously. "She's been going off on her own a lot theses days.."  
  
"What do you guys have to do today?" Aislin asked.  
  
"Nothing." The SeeDs and Squally-Wally-Poo chorused.  
  
"Why don't we try finding her then?" Elysium suggested. "It'll be something to do."  
  
"BooyaKA!! Something to do!!!!" Selphie shrieked, jumping up and down and knocking Zell and Irvine off their seats in the process  
of doing so. "Oops! Sorry!!" She smiled sheepishly.  
  
Ten minutes later, eight teens were tromping around in the forest, pausing every now and then to yell, "QUISTY!!!!"  
  
Zell waved a hand, smacking a mosquito poised to suck his blood. "Stupid vampires.." he muttered.  
  
"Hey!!" Elysium shouted, momentarily causing Zell to wonder what was wrong with squishing the life and guts out of a bloodthirsty  
insect that had caused itchy red welts but was otherwise *harmless.* "There's some kinda house over there." She pointed.  
  
"She's right.." Rinoa agreed. "Maybe Quisty's in there."  
  
They came to a stop in front of a cottage window and peered in.  
  
Quistis. Seifer.  
  
"Quis--!" Selphie started, before being muffled by a hand. Quistis didn't hear her, too involved with her conversation with Seifer.  
  
"Listen." Zell whispered. Selphie nodded and Zell removed his hand.  
  
"Seifer, please?" Quistis pleaded, eyes lit with a glimmer of hope. Hope that was fading fast.  
  
"I can't."  
  
"You never even tried!! How would you know??"  
  
"You already know everyone hates me in Garden. Nothing will ever change that. They're not going to believe I've actually  
*changed.*"  
  
"But--"  
  
"Just drop it." Seifer cut in, regretting the words instantly, when he noticed the hurt in her eyes and realized that the words had  
stung. "Sorry."  
  
"Seifer...apologizing...??? That's new.." Irvine whispered.  
  
Which was about the time Seifer's eyes caught the fourteen eyes watching through the window. "Shit!"  
  
"What's wrong?" Quistis turned around and saw them. "Oh no..I wasn't careful enough this time.."  
  
"Wasn't your fault." Seifer answered.  
  
"Now what?"  
  
"Come back to Garden." Squall spoke from the doorway.  
  
All heads turned to him. "Did I hear you correctly?" Quistis asked, bewildered. "He can go back? You're asking him back!?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I thought you hated him.."  
  
"I don't accept pity." Seifer said, though his wildest hopes were to get back to Garden and have things the way it used to be,  
before everything else that had happened.  
  
"It's not pity," Squall answered, not surprised with Seifer's reply. "We used to get along...kinda...fourteen years ago, why can't  
it work out again now?"  
  
"I betrayed all of you."  
  
"It wasn't entirely your fault; don't you want to come back to Balamb?"  
  
"Yeah." Seifer admitted.  
"Then let's go!" Selphie squealed, sealing the decision, peacemaking over with, she dragged everyone back to Garden with her.  
~*~  
"Rinoa..I still think you drugged him." Quistis commented, nodding over at Squall, at an adjacent table, laughing wildly over  
absolutely nothing.  
  
"People change." was the simple reply.  
  
"You're sure you didn't do anything to him? Drugs, that mind-controlling thing.." Selphie joined in.  
  
"Come on, Rin, you can tell us!" Quistis prodded.  
  
"I altered his mind and forcefed him drugs." Rinoa lied.  
  
"I KNEW IT!" Selphie and Quistis yelled triumphantly.  
  
"Seriously though, I didn't do anything to him."  
  
"She wouldn't lie to us for that long, I guess..." Quistis pondered thoughtfully. "Squall, guess he's just being his insane self out of  
infatuation over Rinoa."  
  
"Hey what kinda weapons do you and Elysium use anyway?" Rinoa wondered, changing the subject.  
  
"We don't use weapons."  
  
"You don't?" Rinoa raise an eyebrow.  
  
"Nope." Aislin grinned. "Telepathic powers. We fight with our minds."  
  
"How?"  
  
"It's called fascination," Aislin replied. "For me, anyway. I can control people's minds."  
  
"Oh! Cool! Try it on me!" Selphie yelped enthusiastically.  
  
Aislin closed her cerulean eyes and focused on Selphie, picking up random thoughts, *wonder if it really..how does she...does Zell  
really like..can't believe Irvy flirting with..* Ignoring the burst of doubt, curiousity and wonder, she zoned in on Selphie's mind.  
*You're tired. You haven't slept for days. Go to sleep?* She implanted the simple thought. Selphie's head dropped slowly and  
she sank into a pleasant sleep, her head resting on the table.  
  
*Ok. Demonstration over. Wake up.* Aislin thought silently.  
  
Selphie's bright green eyes snapped open. "That was cool!" She exclaimed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, "Could you  
control the whole world just like that?"  
  
"Not unless I combine my powers--power with her," Aislin, her face paling slightly, jerked her chin at Elysium. "World's greatest  
memory spell, GF, whatever, none of them can work on her. Along with those powers she's got, she's indestructable." She  
thumped Elysium on the back playfully.  
  
"Yours is better! You can control anyone!" Elysium protested.  
  
"You can freak people out! People with strong mental capabilities are tough to crack!"  
  
"What can you do?" Quistis asked, mystified.  
  
"Bring out people's worst fears."  
  
"And scares the life out of them in the process. That's just one of her few gazillion powers. But she hasn't told me even half of  
them." Aislin muttered.  
  
"You're immune to them anyway, don't complain." Elysium ordered.  
  
"Yeah yeah yeah..." Came the reply accompanied with an eye-roll.  
  
"Hey, Elyse," Selphie began. Whatever she was about to say never came. The light, joking mood that had set in across the table  
disappeared instantly.  
  
Elysium flinched violently, as if she had just been hit. The glass of cider on the table exploded by an invisible force. Her lavender  
eyes reflected hurt, jealousy, a dangerous anger, and hatred. Aislin's face was nearly bloodless, her eyes troubled. One simple  
five-letter nickname. Quistis stared at Elysium with worry. She was on the verge of asking, "What's wrong?" when Elysium stood  
up abruptly and said in a choked voice, "I..I should go. I'll see you later." Aislin got up slowly and followed. 


End file.
